Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
The words of Koheleth, the son of David, the king in Jerusalem.
2 All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.
Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth, vanity of vanities: all is vanity.
3 What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?
What profit hath a man of all his toil which he toil-eth under the sun?
4 One generation goes and another comes; but the earth is for ever.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth endureth for ever.
5 The sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up.
The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and striving to reach his place he riseth again there.
6 The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever.
Going toward the south, and turning round toward the north, the wind moveth round about continually; and around its circles doth the wind return again.
7 All the rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is never full: unto the place whither the rivers go, thither will they continue to go.
8 All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing.
All things weary themselves [constantly]; man can not utter them: the eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.
That which hath been, is the same which will be; and that which hath been done, is the same which will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us.
If there be any thing whereof it is said, See, this is new: It hath already been in olden times which were before us.
11 There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them.
[Only] there is no recollection of former [generations]; and also of the later ones, that are to be—of these [likewise] there will be no recollection with those that will be still later.
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I Koheleth was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.
And I directed my heart to inquire and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this is an evil employment which God hath given to the sons of man to busy themselves therewith.
14 I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.
I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun: and, behold, all is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
15 That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.
What is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is defective cannot be numbered.
16 I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem — yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.
I spoke with my own heart, saying, Lo, I have truly obtained greater and more wisdom than all those who have been before me over Jerusalem: yea, my heart had seen much wisdom and knowledge.
17 And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.
And I directed my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly; [but] I have perceived that this also is a torture of the spirit.
18 Because in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow.
For where there is much wisdom there is much vexation: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth pain.
